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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Disability Treaty

ACTION ALERTOctober 25, 2013

The Disability Treaty is Back!REMEMBER DECEMBER

BACKGROUND:

Last December, the U.S. came close-VERY close-to ratifying the DisabilityRights Treaty. Five Senators who voted 'No' stood in the path of the 2/3vote required to ratify a treaty that protects the rights of people withdisabilities. Last year we lost, in part, because the Homeschool LegalDefense Association used misinformation and scare tactics with homeschoolparents to out-call supporters of the treaty by a margin of 100 to 1. Wecannot let this happen again!

The Convention on the Right of Persons with Disabilities is the vitalframework to protect the human rights of persons with disabilities acrossthe world. Inspired by our own Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), whichserved as the model for the Treaty, the CRPD protects the values ofindependence, respect, and dignity for individuals with disabilities.

More than 700 American organizations, from disability groups, 20+ veterans'service organizations (most recently the American Legion), businessesassociations, and faith-based organizations have pledged their support tothis treaty. The United States signed the CRPD in 2009. It's time for ourSenators to ratify the treaty.

SUMMARY OF CURRENT STATUS:

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee,announced his intention to hold hearings and a markup on the Treaty soon. Heis singularly focused and committed to passing the CRPD this year. Twohearings dates are currently scheduled for Nov. 5 and 12. The Senator hassaid it is important that the disability, civil rights, veterans, andbusiness communities come together to overcome the strong opposition.

Currently 61 Senators out of the 67 needed have indicated support for theTreaty, including several strong Republicans (McCain, AZ; Barrasso, WY;Ayotte, NH; Kirk, IL; Murkowski, AK; Collins, ME). At least 6 morecommitted senators are necessary to reach the 2/3rd (67) votes to ratify thetreaty. We have identified 14 senators, listed further below, we believecould be persuaded to vote for the Treaty. Our job is to make sure theseSenators understand the Treaty, how important the Treaty is to thedisability, veterans, and business communities, and to get them to commit tovoting "YES" during the Committee markup! The Treaty will not go to theSenate floor for a vote unless WE can get firm commitments for the 67 votesneeded.

Please take as many of the following action steps as you can to help usRatify the Treaty Now.

2. Call your U.S. Senators and tell them that you support theDisability Treaty. If you have called them before, call them again!

. Visit the CRPD Action Center<http://cqrcengage.com/disabilitytreaty/action> to find out the name ofyour US Senators (scroll down and enter your zip code). It will take youthrough the steps to call and email your Senators; or

. Dial the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for theoffice of your Senators

. Identify yourself as a constituent and the organization that yourepresent (if any)

. Use the talking points below to state your position and ask for acommitment to vote for the Disability Treaty (or at least be open tolearning more at the upcoming hearings before saying no)

. Pass this alert along to other people and coalitions that supportthe treaty

*Ratification opens new markets for American products, technologiesand services and will put the US in the best position to export technologiesfor people with disabilities worldwide. Many businesses, such as IBM,Consumer Electronics Association, Adobe, AT&T and the US Chamber of Commercesupport the Treaty (see more on business support<http://www.usicd.org/doc/CRPDBusinessCase.pdf> ).*Ratification helps thousands of Veterans by improving physical,technological, and communication access outside the US (see Statement by BobDole <http://67.199.83.28/doc/BobDoleTestimony.pdf> , Senator and DisabledVeteran).*Ratification provides the U.S. with the best tools to pressure othercountries to end abuse of people with disabilities, and to make their publicinfrastructure accessible to people with disabilities (see the CCD report:Neglected and Abused Abroad: A Look at the Severe Mistreatment ofIndividuals with Disabilities Around the World and How the U.S. Can Help<http://www.c-c-d.org/fichiers/CCD_Inter_TF-Neglected_and_Abused_Abroad.pdf>).*Ratification reinforces America's global leadership, putting us inthe strongest position to advance disability rights worldwide and to promotethe rights and values the U.S. established under the ADA, while having noimpact on U.S. sovereignty. *Republican and Democratic Attorneys General<http://67.199.83.28/doc/Gray_Thornburgh_CRPDLetter.pdf> , and past Counselto Presidents (see President Bush <http://67.199.83.28/doc/Bush41Letter.pdf>letter) support the treaty, finding U.S. domestic law already in compliancewith the principals and rights contained within the treaty.*The CRPD is budget neutral on federal, state, and local governments.

*This treaty is good for American business and for the world. It willallow us to bring our knowledge of making a society accessible to the wholeworld.*Reservations, understandings, and declarations (RUDs) --added toexplain U.S. interpretation and obligations under the treaty -- address allthe issues raised by the opposition.